Google Updates Navigation Bar, Tweaks Logo

Things are going to start looking a little more consistent across Google properties.

Things are going to start looking a little more consistent across Google properties.

The Web giant on Thursday introduced a new navigation bar, which will be rolling out across "most" Google properties over the next few weeks, Googler Eddie Kessler wrote in a blog post.

"Getting around Google should be seamless, and once you're inside an app, you don't want any distractions," Kessler wrote. "So we're introducing an updated Google bar that streamlines your experience across products and devices."

Besides that, there's a new app launcher (below right) from which you can easily access all your Google apps, such as Gmail, Maps, Search, YouTube, News, and more. The new app launcher is located at the top right of the screen; simply click on the "apps grid." It is also present on Android devices and Chromebooks.

As part of the update, Google also tweaked its logo, though the change appears to be minor. The new design doesn't look much different than the colorful Google logo we all know and love, but the company apparently "refined the color palette and letter shapes" of its emblem.

The move comes after Yahoo last week unveiled a completely new logo, which is simpler and more streamlined than the original, but retains the company's iconic purple color and exclamation point.

Meanwhile, Google also released a new version of its Chrome Web browser for Apple's iOS 7. The updated mobile browser sports a new design and makes it easier to switch between Chrome and other Google apps on your phone.

Angela has been a PCMag reporter since January 2012. Prior to joining the team, she worked as a reporter for SC Magazine, covering everything related to hackers and computer security. Angela has also written for The Northern Valley Suburbanite in New Jersey, The Dominion Post in West Virginia, and the Uniontown-Herald Standard in Pennsylvania. She is a graduate of West Virginia University's Perely Isaac Reed School of Journalism.
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